Bluetooth mac to pc
Discussion
Yep, plug in the dongle on the pc, on the mac go to bluetooth, should be in menu on top right of screen and get it to browse devices, should pick up the pc. You will most probably need pc password to access drives, but should work ok.
ETA you can also use bluetooth file exchange on the mac to send files to a bluetooth device.
ETA you can also use bluetooth file exchange on the mac to send files to a bluetooth device.
Edited by jeevescat on Sunday 25th May 17:01
Stamp said:
possibly? I was hoping for cyberface or someone to give me the definitive!
Loads of ways of doing this - couple already detailed correctly!Remember that one of the 'better' features of Macs back then compared to PCs was that their ethernet ports were autosensing - in other words, you don't need a crossover ethernet cable to do that job. Just a standard ethernet cable will do, though unless the PC you're connecting to already has passthrough set up or either the Mac or PC are doing DHCP, you're going to have to set both machines up with static IPs. I don't think Tiger will automagically become a DHCP server and network gateway for some random PC that appears on the end of its network port.... unless you go to 'Internet Sharing' is Sys Prefs and try that. Trouble is that the Mac expects you to have another active port to share to (e.g. your wifi connection). If it does, then job done, and your PC will see the Mac no problem.
If you're happy with network config, setting up SSH on the Mac (easy, Sys Prefs, Firewall, Remote Login enabled) and then using Putty on the PC to get to your files, then this is probably the way I'd do it.
An alternative is to set up a peer-to-peer wireless network - the Mac has easy config Wifi, if your PC has Wifi then set it up that way.
Another alternative I've used is to set up a new network port on the Mac as the Firewire cable... and then connect a firewire cable to a PC laptop. Windows can use the Firewire port as an Ethernet port as well, same instructions as above.
Bottom line with 'network' solutions is that you need to get both machines onto the same subnet, with correct IP addresses - and unless you've automagically got one which will play DHCP server then you have to set both network adapters up manually. Once you've done that, you can enable Windows Sharing on the Mac and browse to the Mac from the PC (using Windows Explorer) or if the PC's set up normally, use Connect to Server in Mac Finder and enter the IP address and you should be able to see the PC drives.
So yes, if you want to see the entire filesystem of either computer then you need to do this sort of thing - and you'll need one of the above solutions for adequate speed.
It will be MUCH easier if you're not as technical to bung a bluetooth adapter in and use Bluetooth File Transfer to shuffle files around. However remember that if you've got a lot of files, it will take some time (BT isn't the fastest on the planet, esp. if you've got Wifi in the same building and a microwave oven etc.). Also IIRC you don't get filesystem visibility using this tool - you can 'send a file' and the other computer has to 'accept' it (I think you can set it to 'automatically accept' so you don't have to click OK all the time) and the files all get bunched up in the location you originally set up (Public Folder on the Mac?)
Certainly the easiest solution for sending a couple of files. Hang on a sec, some gimp is trying to brute-force the root password on my server... back in a min...
Right, gimp blocked and IP put on my 'when I get bored targets' list
If you've only got a few files to transfer, and you're happy relocating them on the target machine once you've 'accepted' them, use BT as it's the easiest to set up. Pair the machines, set the Mac or the PC to 'always accept' files so you don't have to respond to the 'do you want to accept this file from this computer' dialogue box (actually, Windows may always stiff you with an unwanted dialogue as it's like that) and away you go. Easy stuff.
But if you want to see the entire filesystem then you need some sort of network solution where the Mac (or PC) is sharing out the drive. Now there are many ways of doing this, from FTP to SFTP to SMB to NFS (and I'm not going through all of them here) - but for someone who normally uses Windows, SMB is the answer really. Get both computers on the same network (this will require config as I said above, unless you have a DHCP server already on the network, such as a broadband router) - if you've got the PC connected to a broadband router, then just plug the Mac into the broadband router as well - it really is that easy... and then set up sharing. On Windows, it's the usual right-click on the C drive and 'sharing' and security out to everyone. On Mac you'll need to start Windows Sharing in the Sharing preferences (which starts up an SMB server in the background), the PC will then be able to browse to the Mac, but you'll only get your user folder on the Mac (theoretically that's all you want, right?) unless you grow a beard and hack the /etc/smb.conf file on the Mac (SMB on the Mac underbelly is basically identical to Linux if you have any Linux knowledge). It's more permissions sensitive (being a proper unix system) but you theoretically could put a symlink in your user folder to the root to allow your Windows box to navigate to the root of the Mac filesystem... and given your Mac user is likely to be an admin, it'll have group read perms on the root folder so you can easily get to attached drives etc.)
Have I accidentally nuked you with information overload here or is this what you wanted?
If you only follow 10% of this then stick in the bluetooth module and send files. If that's not fast enough, say so. I'm sort of assuming here that at least one of the computers is connected to the Internet somehow (as you're posting!) so this means you must have a broadband router or some other means of internet connection. If the Mac is connected to the net then I've got a 2 minute solution for your problem, and if your broadband router has a hub built in (many do) - in other words there are a few Ethernet ports on the back, not just one... then you're crazy talking about Bluetooth when you can just plug the other machine into the router and bingo, you're both on the same network and can set up Sharing.
Edited by cyberface on Sunday 25th May 17:42
Thanks cyberface.
I have the powerbook with wireless. I have a dlink modem router with spare ports. My pc is wired to the router, but is also wireless.
My aim is to copy much of the day to day stuff from the pc over to the mac.
As far as setting everything up, I can get around but usually more trial and error.
I have never shared between computers before.
I have the powerbook with wireless. I have a dlink modem router with spare ports. My pc is wired to the router, but is also wireless.
My aim is to copy much of the day to day stuff from the pc over to the mac.
As far as setting everything up, I can get around but usually more trial and error.
I have never shared between computers before.
Stamp said:
Thanks cyberface.
I have the powerbook with wireless. I have a dlink modem router with spare ports. My pc is wired to the router, but is also wireless.
My aim is to copy much of the day to day stuff from the pc over to the mac.
As far as setting everything up, I can get around but usually more trial and error.
I have never shared between computers before.
Easy then.I have the powerbook with wireless. I have a dlink modem router with spare ports. My pc is wired to the router, but is also wireless.
My aim is to copy much of the day to day stuff from the pc over to the mac.
As far as setting everything up, I can get around but usually more trial and error.
I have never shared between computers before.
1. You have a spare ethernet cable. Plug the Mac into the router, go to System Preferences / Network, and check that the router has given you an IP address. It will be probably 192.168.0.3 or something.
2. You're running Tiger, right? Go to System Preferences / Sharing, and enable Windows Sharing. This will require a password for SMB sharing but once you've enabled it, it should 'announce' itself on your local network. Default is to use workgroups and be on the 'WORKGROUP' workgroup rather than logging into an AD domain.
3. On the PC, use Windows Explorer (not sure what version of Windows, but they all do this IIRC) and browse to Networks or whatever it's called. Windows Networks should have Workgroup and then the name of your Mac. If this doesn't work 'out of the box' - use the menu on Explorer to 'Map Network Drive' and put in the details that the Mac gave you.
4. Bingo, Windows Explorer should now show your entire Mac filesystem for your username (i.e. the standard Desktop, Documents, Library, etc. folders, and your files) and you should be able to copy everything across. It WILL ask for your Mac password, and you won't be able to overwrite anything other than what's owned by you on the Mac - you can't inadvertently damage system files etc. and if there's anything in your home folder on the Mac that's owned by someone else, you won't be able to overwrite it.
If you don't have an ethernet cable hanging around, connect the Mac to the router via wireless. Once the Mac is on the router's subnet via wireless (Airport, should give you an IP address in the same range e.g. 192.168.0.3) the process above is exactly the same.
In some respects, for what you're trying to do, it's going to be easier getting the Mac on the 'workgroup' and then using Windows to move the files around, rather than getting your Mac to log onto your Windows share. So just get the Mac on the network, and see if you can browse for it in Windows Explorer. Windows is better at browsing Windows networks than OS X, as you'd expect, so that's your best bet.
Hope this helps!!
Stamp said:
Thanks.
I know I am a pain.
Nah, if I couldn't be bothered I wouldn't have answered. May as well help whilst my GF is watching that infernal 'Apprentice' rubbish on TV and I'm in the office messing about with the Eee.... don't take what I say as gospel because I'm had a few drinks now I know I am a pain.
Anyway - reading Windows shares from the Mac is an essential trick. I do it all the time because I'll often connect up to clients' networks (which are invariably Windows workstations) and pick up stuff from shares.
First you need to know that the Network browse facility on OS X is very hit and miss. If your Windows box has shares advertised to all and sundry then there's an off chance that you can use the Mac Finder, go to 'Network' on the left sidebar (use Finder preferences to put it in there if it's not there, otherwise click on your Mac's computer name - there should be a 'planet' icon called 'Network') and see what the Mac can see. If you're lucky you'll see your PC's name there... and the names of shares you've set up. You may need to enter a password to access them depending on your Windows setup.
If not... either the Tiger Finder is being dodgy again (the famous 'FTFF' refrain from many Mac-heads - 'fix the f
king Finder') or you haven't shared any folders on the PC. For the sake of easiness, share out your C drive (assuming you've got one drive on the PC... same process is applicable to any subfolder or other drive). On Windows Explorer, right-click on the C drive, go to 'Sharing' and add a new share, with permissions to everyone. Give it an easy name without funny characters. If you're on NT and you've added ACLs to the actual filesystem then this will override the sharing permissions - but that's getting tricky and you'd be best advised asking a Windows guy on here. I know little about Windows really. Also take note of the computer network name. I assume you haven't set up a full-on domain and Active Directory on the Windows box? If so it gets slightly more difficult. If not, I'm assuming your Windows PC has a 'computer name' on the 'WORKGROUP' workgroup.On Mac OS X, in the Finder, use the menu item 'Go' then 'Connect to Server'. You should be able to use the syntax smb://windowsbox/sharename and then OS X should find the box and ask you for authentication detail. This should be the workgroup / domain name, the user and password. Then you'll get a new volume in OS X which will be the share you've set up on Windows. If this doesn't work - try the IP address of the Windows box (open a command prompt / DOS windows on Windows, type ipconfig and note the IP address) in place of the 'windowsbox' computer name in the example above.
Note that many Windows dudes use the administrative shares C$ etc. - that's not picked up by default by OS X, so it's better to create a 'real' share on your C drive so you know exactly what SMB is doing on both boxes. You'll need to be an administrator on Windows to do this, but I presume you already are (the big problem with Windows...). If not, log in as Administrator or a member of the Administrators group to create the share.
That should have you going. You could try the smb://windows-box-ip-address/C$ without any config but I've not seen that work before.
I may have my Windows info here wrong. I'm right about what you have to do on the Mac side to connect to the Windows box, but it may be worth asking one of the Microsofties here about best practice for Windows shares, I am no Windows expert and I don't claim to be, so apologies if there are errors in the description
If you don't want to be asked for the password all the time, and don't mind the password being stored in plaintext on your Mac, then use the syntax in 'Connect to Server':
smb://workgroupname;username@windowsbox/sharenamebut this will display the password to the Windows box to anyone using the Mac who clicks 'Connect to Server'.... not ideal for security. Also that string isn't stored securely on the Mac.
Give that a shot
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